Feel free to give me a call if you have questions. Ken 360-470-8340 www.adkison.name/mgb/

It looks like you have a really great car to start with. The original single carb setup is getting quite rare now and can be troublesome, but if it turns out to work well you may want to keep using it for originality.
I really don't like the Weber down drafts for many reasons although they make power and are reliable. The earlier dual carbs were better, in my opinion.

Now before you go changing anything is the time to think very carefully about your expectations and intended usage. Originality is very important to many, I voted to modernize mine extensively for drivability at all speeds and conditions and wanted a car to tinker with. Some cars have had so much care put into them that there are now rarely driven. Others are barely running junk heaps loaded down with spare (used) parts that hold up every good samaritan rally driver at the side of the road.

It sounds like you'll fix it right in due time. Mine had never had proper service, so I took each system system apart and replaced every seal, bearing and fussed over every friction surface. Each part got wire brushed until it gleamed and repainted. Most paints on offer are junk so call me and I'll point you to better types (get an Eastwood catalog). You car does not seem to need too much work at first glance.
Make the decision to maintain patina or repaint things very early and stick to the theme. Once you paint the first thing under the hood everything else will seem to need painting and doing so can be a regrettable choice. The same goes for repair for reliability, or strip and restore or keep it stock or hop it up. Otherwise you will be buying many parts twice while chasing different goals.

Some people rebuild everything under the hood to perfection drive it a while and pull everything out, install a SB Ford V8 and modify everything else.

Think about these choices and go to a British car show, if you can, before choosing.

This is your car and choice, nobody else need agree. No matter how you proceed most everybody looks forward to see you love your car will be thankful your keeping it running for another few decades. The hobby needs these cars to stick around.

So I looked at the 26r battery in the car and it was connected negative to chassis and positive to red. I thought these were red to ground? I bought a new 26r at Walmart but I'm not sure about the correct way. I don't believe the po changed everything around from pos earth and think that the lady's son installed it incorrectly. Is there a way to tell before I make smoke and fire?

When in doubt Ohm it out.
With no batter connected, I would test from the chassis to each battery lead and from the heavy starter post to each lead with a long wire extension. Should be 0-1 Ohm on the correct lead for each using the lowest ohmmeter setting.
Alternatively, tracing the battery cable is worth the time. Under the car you should be able to see the negative battery lead attached to the battery tray or near by. The positive should clearly be running forward on the passenger side to the starter.
Ken

Robert
You need to learn a bit about your car before delving too far. There is a on line manual that has a wealth of knowledge and the driver handbook that should be in the car glove box will reveal volumes of basic information about your car.

So;
don't pay too much attention to cable colour at the battery. The factory fit a Black cable on positive post leading forward to the starter motor. As well many cable may have been replaced over time by PO.
FWIW if your car is a late model, and it is, if it has an alternator, and it does then it is negative earth vehicle. Should also be a sticker in the engine bay, slam panel? indicating this as well as a reminder

Connect earth to negative post and cable leading forward to engine bay to positive post of battery.

by ALL means get a few manuals. This site is great, but manuals DO help a bunch. Besides a shop manual, get Roger William's book on "....common MGB problems...." and Rick Astley's book on MGB electrical systems. You'll really be ahead of the game!

Head the warnings about replacing the tires due to age, and probably need to replace the 3 rubber flex lines that are in the brake system. They break down from the inside, so hard to judge their actual condition.

Great looking car, and you can have it up and running SAFELY before you know it!

+1 on the tires. I will also add go through the brakes and suspension early on. It's one thing to have an engine or even transmission problem at 60 mph it's quite another to have tires, brakes, suspension go while at speed. Make sure the seat belts are in good working order. In fact you may want to replace just for piece of mind. Look into improving the brake and tail lights along with the rear turn signals. There are LED options for these cars.

Keep in mind how small these cars are especially in todays SUV dominated world.

Have fun. Be safe.

"He rides 'er low on the hip, on the side he's got "Bound for Glory" in red, white and blue flash paint
He leans on the hood telling racing stories, the kids call him Jimmy the Saint".."And I said, "Hey kid, you think that's oil? Man, that ain't oil, that's blood"
I wonder what he was thinking when he hit that storm, or was he just lost in the flood?"

Be patient. This will take time. It often takes a year to get the bugs out. Then these cars are very predictable.

Your clutch hydraulics have a major leak! In general they use less than an ounce of fluid a year.

The brakes could be the same.

Step one a new battery. You need to learn to be a mechanic. The negative terminal of the battery connects to the body. The other big wire is the positive that goes forward. Do not trust colors. MG and DPO's do strange things.

Disconnect the fuel system in the engine bay and fill a gallon jug a little to verify the pump works.

Find a local club. Find a local parts place who does service. Your life might be easy. Must be a MG/LBC specialist. AutoZone and Midas are your enemy. Mechanics are hard to find.

Get a factory manual. Go to,Advaced Autowire and get a wiring diagram. You will need it.

90% of all tire stores can not balance your new tires/wheels. Ask the club.

Your late model car is negative earth. Hook the new battery up the same way the old one came out.

It is a good time to check the cables and grounds.

The cables should be fairly stiff. A very floppy cable could be corroded internally and breaking down.

Remove the negative cable from the chassis, clean the connection point with a wire brush (nice and shiny) and reconnect. Locate the engine to chassis ground and clean that up as well. It should be a fairly heavy wire braid strap.

Remove all the wires at the starter end of the positive cable. Clean everything up and reinstall.

This will ensure clean power to and from the car.

You will likely chase other electrical issues with an older car and step one is ensuring clean power from the battery.

In reply to # 3608707 by Highvoltage2
So I looked at the 26r battery in the car and it was connected negative to chassis and positive to red. I thought these were red to ground? I bought a new 26r at Walmart but I'm not sure about the correct way. I don't believe the po changed everything around from pos earth and think that the lady's son installed it incorrectly. Is there a way to tell before I make smoke and fire?

Congratulations Robert on your new car and on joining the forum. All great advice so far, heed it (especially the advice concerning thinking about what you want the car to be in the end and the advice to go slow down and learn the car). Same advice was given to me when I joined several months ago with my first MGB (1977) and I'm glad I listened. My first inclination was to 'make it mine' with new shiny bits and do-dads. Instead I took my time, tackled little fixes with the help of the site (get familiar with the Search button and you'll find most of your questions answered many times over) and am getting to know my car.
Your car looks great (mine is green as well) and well taken care of..... enjoy.